The National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) has received almost $60,000 from the State Trustees Australia Foundation to trial a new Elder Abuse Screening Instrument (AUSI).

In 2016, NARI received an initial $50,000 in funding towards a project called Finding the best elder abuse screening tool. Through the study, NARI identified that there is currently no suitable screening tool for Victorian organisations to use which led to the development of the AUSI.

A Victorian-first, this tool aims to identify cases of elder abuse. The tool will be tested and refined through a co-design process with St Vincent’s Hospital.

To test its effectiveness, NARI will collect data before and after implementation of the tool on the number of elder abuse cases identified, the number of notifications, and the number of referrals made. Following extensive training, staff will also be tested on their knowledge and confidence in screening for elder abuse.

State Trustees Executive General Manager Melanie Lewis said tackling elder abuse was an important part of the Foundation’s commitment to supporting elderly people.

“We expect that the screening tool will be successful in linking at-risk patients to services that can protect and empower them,” she said.